SILVER-FOX FARMING. 7 
cut off: hence it is a natural condition for the hairs to die and be 
shed, and sometimes dead hairs turn various shades of brown and 
chocolate. During the season when the fox's pelt is becoming prime 
there will sometimes be found a chocolate tinge, commonly known 
as rust. This, however, is not caused by sun bleaching, but is due 
rather to inferior breeding stock, which has a tendency to throw 
rust-colored pelts instead of pelts of clear black in the underfur and 
in that part of the guard hairs which is supposed to be raven black, 
A happy medium of shade and sunshine is necessary for the com- 
fort of the foxes as well as for the maintenance of their health. 
Every animal likes to lie in the shade during extremely hot weather 
to escape the direct rays of the sun. Sunshine, on the other hand, 
is the best natural disinfectant for keeping the dens, pens, and 
grounds clean and sanitary. 
AVhen the fox industry was in its infancy most fox raisers thought 
that dense shade on their ranches was absolutely necessary. At first 
this was produced mainly by evergreens; later, a mixture of ever- 
greens and hardwoods was employed. Fox ranchers are now learn- 
ing the advantages of sunlight in keeping the pens sanitary and are 
cutting out the evergreens and allowing only the hardwoods to stand. 
Pine needles are objectionable because they fall into the feed and 
are consumed by foxes; they sometimes injure the intestines of pups 
and cause their death. An advantage in favor of hardwood trees 
is the fact that in winter, after they have shed their leaves, they 
allow the sun to shine into the pens. 
SOIL. 
Silver foxes can be successfully raised on any type of soil that is 
well drained and capable of producing reasonable shade, provided 
it is located in a section where there is a long, cold winter and a 
fair amount of rainfall. 
Successful ranches are to be found on rich heavy soil, clay soil, 
light sandy soil, and on sandy >oil where the main part of the surface 
consists of outcroppmgs of rock and gravel. Any one of these, if 
well drained, is adapted to fox ranching. 
It has not been definitely determined that certain types of soil are 
more favorable than others to the propagation of fox parasites. 
Soils possessing an undue amount of moisture, however, and densely 
shaded situations are favorable to the development of parasites. 
The elements contained in the soil have no bearing on the kind 
and quality of foxes produced. It has been stated that soil devoid 
of lime is more favorable because it does not burn the pelt when the 
fox burrows, but there is no foundation for this belief, as there is no 
evidence that soil which will support vegetation contains enough 
lime to burn fur. 
LOCATION OF THE RANCH. 
The latitude and climate having been determined, the next im- 
portant consideration is the proper location for the ranch. It is 
possible closely to approximate the conditions under which wild 
foxes live, but this is by no means essential. In fact, it is somewhat 
doubtful whether to-dav this is even desirable. 
